Article by
Barbados Today

Published on
August 15, 2018

A 30-year-old steward has an early date set for next Valentine’s Day and it will cost him dearly.

Michael Tito Cheltenham of 2nd Avenue Bank Hall, St Michael, has until February 14 next year to pay the District ‘A’ Magistrate’s Court a $15,000 fine amounting to the street value of the herb he was trying to grow.

The first-time offender pleaded guilty to possession, possession with intent to supply and trafficking as well as cultivating cannabis.

Magistrate Kristie Cuffy-Sargeant imposed the fine on the trafficking charge and convicted, reprimanded and discharged Cheltenham on the other offences.

But if he fails to pay the fine he will spend six months in prison.

The offences were committed when police executed a search warrant at his house on August 13.

As officers identified themselves, Cheltenham quickly locked the side door, according to the police report. He was then seen hurriedly uprooting a number of plants and throwing them over a paling onto a vacant lot. As many as 57 other potted marijuana plants were found in the yard ranging from four feet to six feet, weighing 3.85 kilogrammes and worth $15,400.